1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a method for manufacturing a novelty snack food. Specifically, this invention relates to a method of manufacturing the novelty snack food with an ultrasonic horn and an anvil and without the use of undesirable components such as plasticizers, dyes, chemicals or artificial preservatives.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Consumers, especially consumers of specialty products, such as nutraceutical, dietetic and convenience products, are increasingly demanding high-quality, snack foods made from nutritious ingredients free of additives, such as, plasicizers, dyes, chemicals or preservatives. Manufacturers in the Snack Food Industry are trying to produce products that achieve these demands while also focusing on business considerations, such as, efficiency, low-energy requirements, low asset base and small process footprint. Known methods of manufacturing snack foods are unable to meet all the demands of consumers while also meeting the needs of the business.
Currently, there are three basic manufacturing processes widely used by the Snack Food industry, namely, extrusion, oven baked (biscuit process) and Bar Line process.
The extrusion process is primarily utilized for the production of crunchy snacks or doughy, plastic, toffee-like products. Food extrusion is a process in which a food material is forced to flow, under one or more varieties of conditions of mixing, heating and shear, through a die which is designed to form and/or puff-dry the ingredients. The food extruders are a high temperature short time (HTST) device that can transform a variety of raw ingredients into intermediate and finished products. During extrusion, the cooking temperature could be as high as 180-190 C, but residence time is usually 20-40 seconds (depends on types of extruders and speed of the shaft).
On the surface, the extrusion technology appears to be very versatile since it can process a variety of food products of varied shapes, textures, appearances, etc, simply by just changing few ingredients and by minor modifications to the process conditions. Also, when compared to the other conventional processes, the extrusion process seems to be energy efficient, with a typical process load range between 0.6 and 1.6 KWh/Kg. However, the extrusion process requires a high residence time and temperatures. Additionally, the extrusion process thermally degrades many ingredients' nutritional characteristics and does not maintain the integrity of the original ingredients particulates. Delivering products that are fully homogenized and in some cases, having almost a “pre-chewed” appearance.
The oven baked process, also known as the biscuit process, entails a forming process, typically accomplished through forming rolls, in which a plastic-like dough mass is converted into individually shaped products which are subsequently oven baked in a slower, gentler heating action. However, the biscuit process takes longer to produce than other currently known methods. Moreover, this process includes a monumental asset base, foot print and energy inefficiency, where only 35% of the total oven heat is utilized by the product (with 25% of the total is used to heat and re-heat the belt and the remainder account for the typical oven losses and the heating of make-up air), make this option even less desirable.
Lastly, the Bar Line technology is the process of choice for the traditional bar shaped snacks. The Bar Line process essentially comprises an initial mixing stage in which the desired ingredients are blended together with the further addition of a binding matrix, typically loaded with sugars and fat, followed by a slab forming stage where a continuous slab of product can be made with the use of chilled rolls. The slab is subsequently cooled through a cooling tunnel prior to the slab being slit into strips and the latter being cut into the traditional bar shape. This process, in addition to requiring a complex, monumental and slow type of equipment (frequently producing significant amount of both scrap and rework) which might develop over a 200 meters of length, also entails a number of costly peripheral systems to condition (cool, heat and dry) the product before key process steps and prior to packaging with an inherently low energy efficiency. Although this process is the “most gentle” of all the conventional ones with respect to the preservation of the ingredients, it still plagued by a number of limitations.
In view of the above, a need exists for a process that can use natural ingredients from all five groups of the food pyramid to create a snack having balanced nutrition with maximum health benefits. A process of manufacture that is capable of delivering products whose nutritional profile is uncompromised by the addition of undesirable components, including fillers, plasticizers fluidizers, dyes, chemicals, artificial preservatives. There further exists a need for a process to manufacture a snack that is portable. A process that delivers a product where each ingredient is visible which contributes to the product's ultimate and unique appearance. A process that is highly versatile so as to produce items of complex shapes and textures beyond what is currently possible. A process that eliminates the need for large assets such as ovens, cooker/extruders and injection molding machines as well the need for many peripheral systems.